Our 55th anniversary season features three operas never before seen on the Minnesota Opera stage, as well as new productions of two classics. We hope you’ll agree that this will truly be an exciting season. We’ll see you at the opera!
Jules Massenet | May 12, 15, 17, 19, & 20
Spiritual conviction meets earthly desire. A devout monk seeks to convert Thaïs, a ravishingly beautiful courtesan, but realizes too late that his pious obsession is rooted in lust, not religion. Minnesota Opera produces Massenet’s sensual and melodic creation for the first time with Minnesota-born soprano Kelly Kaduce (Rusalka, Tosca, The Shining) in the glamorous title role. Set in the deserts and oases of fourth-century Egypt, this searing drama explores the conflict between the passion of the flesh and the salvation of the soul.
Sung in French with English translations projected above the stage.
June 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, & 26
A love affair between two men in 1950s Washington, DC. A chance encounter between recent college graduate Timothy Laughlin and handsome State Department official Hawkins Fuller results in Tim’s first job—and his first love affair with a man. But during the McCarthy-era Lavender Scare, communists aren’t the only enemies. Overt and covert hostility directed toward abolishing “homosexual tendencies” in the government creates a world of fear and shame for the two lovers. As McCarthy mounts a desperate bid for power, Tim and Hawkins find it increasingly dangerous to navigate their double lives. Full of sincere heartbreak, Fellow Travelers is an ode to the importance of being one’s self and the bravery it takes to stand up to political oppression.
Sung in English with English captions projected above the stage.
Gaetano Donizetti | Oct. 7, 10 ,12, 14, & 15
Bursting with pure fun. This production of Donizetti’s bubbly farce will keep you rolling in the aisles! Take a trip with us back to the Golden Age of Hollywood for this uproarious, screwball comedy—perfect for seasoned operagoers and newcomers alike. It’s the 1950s and the miserly aristocrat Don Pasquale is a silent movie star grappling with the problems and possibilities of the modern Technicolor world. In the end, the old curmudgeon learns his lesson and love rules the day. You’ll be delighted by this fresh, fun, and lively production. Be sure to keep your autograph books handy. You just might see a few of your favorite stars of the silver screen like John Wayne, Elvis Presley, and Lucille Ball.
Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Nov. 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, & 19
Comedy, classism, and calamity. All is fair in love and war in this new staging of Mozart’s timeless comedy of errors, widely considered the perfect opera. Mozart’s infectious score brings humor, drama, and humanity to this story of class conflict. It should be the happiest day of their lives, but the wily servant Figaro and his charming fiancée Susanna must fend off the philandering, arrogant Count Almaviva before he ruins everything. On a day filled with chaos and confusion in which disguised identities are revealed and shenanigans ensue, will the young lovers finally make it to the altar?
Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.
Jake Heggie | Jan. 27, 28, & 30, Feb. 1 & 3
Divine intervention. The most performed new opera of the 21st century, this heartbreaking story of grief, grace, and redemption is a modern classic. Based on Sister Helen Prejean’s memoir that inspired the Oscar-winning movie of the same name, it recounts her courageous struggle to provide spiritual guidance to a condemned Louisiana murderer in the months leading up to his execution. With a powerful libretto by Terrence McNally and lyrical music by Jake Heggie—praised as one of the great living opera composers—Dead Man Walking has moved audiences world-wide since its premiere.
Sung in English with English captions projected above the stage.
Giuseppe Verdi | Mar. 17, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, & 31
A fool’s revenge. Verdi’s time-honored tale of seduction and bitter revenge is boldly imagined in this new production. The disfigured jester Rigoletto must do everything in his power to protect his innocent daughter from the lecherous Duke of Mantua before she falls into his clutches. Brimming with rich melodies in verdant color and featuring the famous aria “La donna è mobile,” Rigoletto tragically unfurls as it races toward its devastating conclusion.
Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.